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Author Topic: Turbo 2.3 Swap Questions  (Read 3281 times)

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Offline From_Jonah

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Turbo 2.3 Swap Questions
« on: June 09, 2013, 10:45:42 PM »
Hi everyone! I had a couple questions and also thought I'd post a couple updated pictures of the car. Anyways, i have the opportunity to get a Merkur with the Turbo 2.3 for cheap and I'm wanting to swap the motor and trans into the pinto. I'm just wondering if there are any major mods I would have to do? From what I understand it's a fairly easy swap.

Thanks in advance for the help!



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1980 wagon - (77 front clip) converted to cruising wagon. (Sold in 2015. Can’t find her again.)

Offline D.R.Ball

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Re: Turbo 2.3 Swap Questions
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2013, 12:45:40 PM »
 Get the fuel pump (the external fuel pump and bracket with filter) all fuel lines if possible, wiring and all engine related electronics ( boost control, MAF, coil, voltage regulator unless your going to a 3g alt. TFI and of course the wiring. Thrown in a new oil pump with pick up and pan from your 2.3 motor add a new water pump and thermostat . The best thing is to get the whole car. Get a 8 inch rear end from a Pinto V-6, the Mustang II will work but it's not a direct drop in. The stock 6 3/4 rear end might live for a while.

Offline From_Jonah

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Re: Turbo 2.3 Swap Questions
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2013, 05:59:30 PM »
Okay awesome. And since my car is a wagon does it not already have an 8 inch rear end? It thought all the wagons did.
1977 wagon - baby blue full restoration project.

1980 wagon - (77 front clip) converted to cruising wagon. (Sold in 2015. Can’t find her again.)

Offline D.R.Ball

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Re: Turbo 2.3 Swap Questions
« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2013, 06:33:33 PM »
Is it a V-6 ? If not than no. Note I own a 1976 Pinto Wagon with a 2.3 engine and a four speed, however it's not equipped with an 8' rear end.

Offline From_Jonah

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Re: Turbo 2.3 Swap Questions
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2013, 06:53:26 PM »
Nosir. 4 cylinder. My brother has an 8" posi traction out of a Fox body mustang that I could probably snag. I'm not sure if it would fit though/
1977 wagon - baby blue full restoration project.

1980 wagon - (77 front clip) converted to cruising wagon. (Sold in 2015. Can’t find her again.)

Offline D.R.Ball

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Re: Turbo 2.3 Swap Questions
« Reply #5 on: June 10, 2013, 07:27:51 PM »
If it's out of a Fox it's an 8.8 not an 8 inch rear end. Yes it can work but you need a good welder and someone to use it. The 8.8 is a wider rear end and mounts differently than a stock Pinto rear end. Also the non-wagons have a different spring perch than the wagons.  It's not an easy task to try to learn how to do welding on a rear end tube. Having a weld fail on the rear end is not a great way to learn you failed. There are allot of options to take a look at, the Cobra rear end or the Merkur Xr4ti are IRS and could be made to fit, with some time and thought. You could use 6 3/4 rear end but no hard launches etc. ( or burn outs ) the up side is parts are cheap and you can work on the rear end while it's in the car but your limited on getting all of the stuff done right, having a pedestal jacks helps(Like they have in most shops)..One great thing about the 8 inch rear end is once you remove the axles your ready to remove the carrier and set it up on the bench, not so much with the 6 /34 or the 8.8 rear end however.

Offline OhSix9

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Re: Turbo 2.3 Swap Questions
« Reply #6 on: June 11, 2013, 07:28:09 PM »
it's an easy swap/ the biggest mod requires a large hammer and some adjustment of the passenger inner fender. If the motor is out tear it down and get the head magnafluxed for cracks as it is a known issue with the pre 87 heads without hardened seats.  if its good get a set of seats put in and toss a new felpro head gasket at it for good measure.   im guessing you have a pf or pk computer, prob small vam large injectors.  if you get a moates you can flash it to a pe bin and run the intercooler, big vam and big injectors or any combination in between.
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Offline D.R.Ball

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Re: Turbo 2.3 Swap Questions
« Reply #7 on: June 11, 2013, 10:16:59 PM »
OhSix9 , you mean get a set of valve seals right ?

Offline Pinto5.0

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Re: Turbo 2.3 Swap Questions
« Reply #8 on: June 12, 2013, 01:44:05 PM »
Also the non-wagons have a different spring perch than the wagons.

So the 8" out of my '77 sedan wont fit my wagon? I thought it was a bolt-in....
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Offline Wittsend

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Re: Turbo 2.3 Swap Questions
« Reply #9 on: June 12, 2013, 03:24:40 PM »
The issue with the wagons is the length of the leaf springs. So, yes if you pull the rearend AND the springs as a set, there could be problems.  I pulled a Mustang II  8" (those never came as wagons) and it bolted right into my '73 Sta-Wag.

Offline OhSix9

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Re: Turbo 2.3 Swap Questions
« Reply #10 on: June 12, 2013, 06:51:17 PM »
D.R not guides or seals but the actual seats where the valve seals against the head. they will put a hardened seat into the exhaust side similar to doing an old set of heads for unleaded fuel. if you have ever seen a set of lead heads with the valves sunk in an eighth inch you will know what i mean. the 87 and 88's have this feature already from factory as running the turbo pushes extra heat at the valves which causes them to sink and promotes the crack that always forms in the narrow area between the intake and exhaust.  the hardened seats are the factory fix to the issue. 87 and 88 heads rarely if ever crack. hat seals for the top are always a good plan to replace and i am sure the machine shop can mic the guides and tell you if they need to be done as well.
Modest beginnings start with the single blow of a horn man..    Now when you get through with this thing every dickhead in the world is gonna wanna own it.   Do you know anything at all about the internal combustion engine?

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